Dear supporters,

As we had anticipated, 2009 has been another immensely busy year for our campaign for a treaty banning the use of uranium in all conventional weapon systems. The successful completion of the Oslo Process on cluster munitions has helped remind governments that civil society has an important part to play in conventional arms control, and ICBUW has benefited from renewed interest in controlling the humanitarian impact of uranium weapons.

This growing interest means our Coalition – which now numbers 122 NGOs in 30 countries – is approaching 2010 with a sense of optimism. However, it is likely that the coming year will prove to be a pivotal one in the evolution of the campaign. In response to a request by 141 United Nations Member States in 2008, in autumn 2010 the United Nations First Committee will once again consider the potential impact of uranium weapons. It will be a crucial moment for the international community where we hope that states will endorse civil society’s call for further action.

Our Coalition has come a long way since its formation in 2003 but every success, and the opportunities they create, increases the financial burden on us. International campaigning is inherently expensive yet we have consistently managed to produce remarkable results in spite of a vanishingly small budget. This has been thanks to incredibly dedicated volunteers and the support of our member organisations. What financial assistance we have managed to attract, from foundations and most recently the Norwegian government, is ring-fenced for our research projects and cannot be used for campaigning.

ICBUW urgently needs funds to support its campaigning activities as we approach the UN First Committee talks in September 2010. Any contribution you can make, no matter how modest, will have an impact on the outcome of these discussions.

There is growing momentum for action on uranium weapons. Following Belgium’s lead, politicians in Costa Rica, Ireland and New Zealand have submitted bills proposing domestic bans. The European and Latin American Parliaments have called for immediate continent-wide moratoria and civil courts are ruling in favour of veterans seeking to link their cancers with exposure to DU. Corporate fund managers are under growing pressure to disinvest in uranium weapons manufacturers; and against this backdrop, the US Army’s own environmental think tank has recognised that a change is coming and is urging the US Army to accelerate its search for alternatives.

We have been presented with a great opportunity for progress and we urgently require the funds to take advantage of it. There are four ways that you can donate to ICBUW to help this important work:

Credit/Debit Cards Paypal
Follow the 'Paypal Donate' icon on the right hand menu of our homepage http://www.bandepleteduranium.org

International Transfer
ICBUW
IBAN: GB71 CPBK 0892 9965 2204 69
SWIFT/BIC: CPBK GB22

UK Transfer
Sortcode: 08-92-99
Account number: 6522 0469
Co-operative Bank,
PO Box 101, 1 Balloon Street
Manchester,
UK. M60 4EP

Sterling Cheque
Send Sterling cheques payable to ‘ICBUW’ to:
ICBUW, Bridge 5 Mill,
22a Beswick Street,
Ancoats,
Manchester, UK.
M47HR.

See also

• 

  International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons

  Uranium weapons - all roads lead to the World Health Organisation

  Last December, 141 states supported a General Assembly resolution requesting that the United Nation’s agencies - the WHO, IAEA and UNEP - update their positions on the potential threat to human health and the environment posed by the use of uranium weapons. Of these, it seems to be that of the WHO which will prove the most influential.
  

  17 November 2009 - Doug Weir and Gretel Munroe
• 

  International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons

  Parlatino calls for a moratorium on uranium weapons

  Costa Rican politician leads push for regional action on depleted uranium weapons in Latin American Parliament as Human Rights Committee accepts wide-ranging resolution.

  21 September 2009 - ICBUW
• 

  International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons

  Basrah Epidemiology Study team meets in Turkey

  Members of ICBUW and IPPNW-Germany have met with experts from the Basrah Cancer Research Group (BCRG) in Istanbul, Turkey for an update on the activities of an epidemiological study project in Basrah and to discuss future research plans, which will be funded partly by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

  21 July 2009 - ICBUW
• 

  International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons

  US Army think tank urges Army Secretariat to accelerate search for alternatives to DU

  A think tank that issues recommendations to the US Army over ways to mitigate its environmental impact has urged planners to accelerate the search for alternatives due to the growing international opposition to depleted uranium weapons.

  10 July 2009 - ICBUW
• 

  International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons

  UK Uranium Weapons Network launched as Belgium becomes first country to ban depleted uranium weapons

  Today marks the passage into force of Belgium’s 2007 decision to ban the use of uranium in all conventional weapons and armour after a series of unanimous parliamentary votes and a ban on all government investments in the manufacturers of the weapons.
  

  21 June 2009 - ICBUW